Why Real Estate Agents are Using Presentation Videos

by
Dan Mills
on
January 26, 2018

As a real estate agent, there’s nothing more important than making and maintaining a strong connection with your client. And with websites like Redfin and Zillow disrupting the market, its become harder for agents to stand out above the noise. That's why so many real estate agents and agencies are turning to personalized video to get the job done.

When you think of real estate videos, you probably imagine walk-through videos of homes, which have now become industry standard. But we’re excited to see that real estate agents are starting to leverage the power of more personal, lo-fi videos to build relationships, earn trust, and ultimately, close deals.

For this post, we chatted with Rhode Island-based real estate agent, Jonathan Weinstein, as well as Derek Fraser from Keller Williams Realty, here in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They shared their top use cases for personalized video with us, and even made some quick Soapbox videos as examples. Let's get to it!

Providing feedback on the property

Every real estate agent knows that in order to find a buyer for a property, pricing the home correctly is critical. But with so many factors to take into account, like comps, the state of the market, condition of the kitchen, and more, it’s not uncommon for a seller to have expectations that might not line up with reality.

"Every real estate agent knows that in order to find a buyer for a property, pricing the home correctly is critical."

Jonathan explains, "Calling your client to suggest that their home should be priced lower than what they originally wanted is a tough conversation. It can get emotional! I’ve found that putting together a video helps me get all the information across without getting interrupted... the client also gets some more time to digest the information on their own."

After watching this Soapbox video, the seller of the home should have a better understanding of how the property is being received and what steps they can take to make it more appealing to buyers.

Addressing the buying timeline

When an offer has been accepted, most buyers are very, very eager to move into their new home. But of course, you have to bake some time into the process for all of the less glamorous aspects of buying a home. This is where a handy Soapbox video can come into play to help real estate agents take the monotony out of explaining the process.

From finalizing legal documents and making bank transactions, to home inspections and more, there are a number of moving pieces that must be set in place before the home is ready to go. For Derek, this video is a helpful tool that lets him set expectations for his homebuyers. Plus, since the process is usually the same for most folks, he can reuse this video time and time again with new clients. And just like that, he has one less email to send!

Showcasing a new neighborhood

Location, location, location! For real estate agents, one major selling point of a home can often be its proximity to town centers or other attractions. Making a custom video to welcome new and potential homeowners to the neighborhood is a super friendly way to provide value to your client and add a personal touch.

Check out this quick Soapbox video made by Derek that provides some helpful context around the Davis Square neighborhood in Somerville, Massachusetts.

This type of personalized outreach can help encourage word-of-mouth referrals, which every real estate agent wants! "It's all about building up connections and relationships. We're not sales-y. We don't try to approach it that way," said Derek.

"It's all about building up connections and relationships. We're not sales-y. We don't try to approach it that way."

Get started with video

The truth is, there are endless use cases for quick, delightful videos in the real estate industry. If you're looking for some specific ways to get started with video and real estate, try one of the following tactics. After speaking with Jonathan and Derek, we've found that there are so many ways to communicate more effectively with clients, and in a more human way.

Transitioning a client from one teammate to another: Instead of an impersonal email, you can record a quick video that explains the reason your client is switching hands.

Explaining market information to a client: A little explanation goes a long way. Level with your client by giving them information on the state of the market today, and carefully explain why you believe their house should be priced the way it is.

Offering relevant maintenance tips: First-time homeowner? No problem! Record one video with helpful tips that can you send out to all first-time homeowners. Don't forget to clean that dryer, folks!

House-hunting recap: Sometimes your memory can deceive you. You might remember that there were three bedrooms in a home, but can't recall which one had the walk-in closet. Snap a few photos of the space and incorporate them into your final recap video. Call out features you remember them loving during the tour and then cater the video to the client's experience.

Now that making a high-quality video in minutes is possible with Soapbox, you can easily share informative videos with your clients in no time. After all, building trust is a key component when it comes to making any type of sale, and buying a home is not a decision people take lightly.

By harnessing the power of video, you can start selling homes in a more personalized and professional way – your clients will thank you!